Home / Crime and Justice / Infanticide Sentence: 10 Years for Mother After Appeal
Infanticide Sentence: 10 Years for Mother After Appeal
15 Sep
Summary
- Mother sentenced to 10 years for infanticide and attempted murder.
- Original murder convictions were quashed due to unsafe grounds.
- Postnatal depression and domestic abuse were cited factors.
A woman has received a 10-year sentence for infanticide and attempted murder, following the quashing of her previous murder convictions. In July 2021, she stabbed her infant son and toddler daughter; the son died, while the daughter survived and is now in foster care.
Senior judges in December 2025 ruled the initial 2023 convictions unsafe, leading to a retrial. In August, the woman pleaded guilty to infanticide, a charge applicable to mothers with disturbed mental balance killing a child under 12 months.
Expert reports presented on Tuesday indicated the woman suffered from postnatal depression and experienced domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and coercive control. She feared for her life and that of her children, feeling overwhelmed by despair.
The surviving daughter has experienced "catastrophic" and lifelong impacts, including hypervigilance and fear, despite being happy and settled. The judge acknowledged the woman's remorse, her status as a victim of modern-day slavery, and the isolated nature of the offense, ultimately imposing the 10-year sentence, with half to be served on license.
